You’ve got to hand it to Christian Dior when he declared that the 1950s was the “golden age” in fashion. Self-promotion aside, he was right on the money, and deservedly so. The launch of Dior’s New Look in 1947 marked a turning point in fashion history, and it’s never been the same since, as you’ll find at the V&A’s sumptuous exhibition, The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947-1957.
This exhibition is truly gold, so good in fact (and being a retro girl myself), I went twice - and it’s not exactly cheap at £9 per adult! But I fell in love with the opulent gowns and extraordinary dressmaking skills, such as the embroidered tiny velvet bird nests with clusters of pearl “eggs” on Christian Dior’s ‘Bosophore’ silk velvet evening dress. The Parisian couture houses employed hundreds of seamstresses in the ‘50s who spent god-only-knows-how-many-hours hand-embroidering gowns in exquisite detail.
'Les Muguets' (Lily of the Valley) evening dress by Hubert de Givenchy. Paris 1955.
Zémire' evening ensemble, Christian Dior (1905-57) Paris, 1954-5 autumn/winter.
And while my mum got misty-eyed, I stared in awe at the utterly beautiful ball gowns worn by Margot Fonteyn. She had the tiniest waist! And the display of 1950s corsetry was a tribute to their incredible design and construction. They are like little works of art in themselves!
Dress and petticoat, Pierre Balmain, Paris.
Other highlights include the 1950s Balmain silk organza evening dress with ostrich feathers, sequins and rhinestones. Totally and wickedly decadent. No wonder the New Look caused outrage from still-on-rations Britain (and can you believe that the Queen and Princess Margaret chose to view the new collections in secret?).
I also adored the Miss Virginia Lachasse couture doll, who had her own complete wardrobe which included tiny nylon stockings, toiletries, corsets and a cigarette holder. Miss Virginia Lachasse was one of a collection of touring dolls in England which raised money for the Greater London Fund for the Blind.
And I particularly loved Dior’s fragrance “glorifier”, a mini set complete with stage and mirrors, which started the trend for displaying and marketing perfume bottles in department stores. Pretty interesting considering how fragrance is such big business now (and a major money-spinner) for the top designer houses.
The exhibition’s museum shop is also well worth checking out, especially if you’re looking for Christmas gifts for sartorially-minded friends. Better still it’s available online. Here are my top picks:
The Golden Age of Couture Hardback £35; £24.99 paperback, exclusive to the V&A Shop.
This book showcases the sumptuous gowns from the exhibition, as well as the dramatic work by fashion photographers such as Cecil Beaton.
Unicorn brooch, £20.
Inspired by the pieces in the exhibition, this sparkly brooch is exclusive to the V&A and features Swarvoski crystals.
Shoe charm bracelet with seven charms, £75.
Made with gold enamel and Swarvoski crystlas, the charms are inspired by the shoes from the ‘40s and ‘50s in the V&A’s collections. Individual shoe charms are £10 each - the perfect Kris Kringle.
Woman with Parakeets Mug, £10.
This delightful image is from one of three drawings by Lee Miller (circa 1930).
Thread Spool Brooch, £32.
Gorgeous and fun brooch featuring stirling silver fittings by German jewellery designer Ina Seifart.
Dress Up Paper Doll, £4.50.
Perfect for little (and big) girls, the cut-out clothes are based on couture garments featured in the exhibition.
The Little Dictionary of Fashion: A Guide to Dress Sense for Every Woman by Christian Dior, £9.99.
Words of fashion wisdom and style secrets from the man himself, Christian Dior.
Fashion History Tape Measure, £15.
Nifty (and fun) way to learn the history of fashion.
All items are available to buy here.
The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947-1957
22 September 2007 – 6 January 2008
Victoria and Albert Museum
Cromwell Road
London SW7 2RL
Nearest tube: South Kensington
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